Comedian Lee Jin Ho has come under fire after revelations that he deceived celebrities such as BTS’s Jimin, Lee Soo Geun, and others, leading to their financial losses. Reports indicate that Lee Jin Ho accumulated billions of KRW in debt due to illegal gambling and resorted to borrowing money from fellow celebrities and loan sharks to cover his debts.
Some of the affected celebrities are now preparing to file fraud charges and seeking legal action, including the provisional attachment of his future earnings. Despite the growing controversy, Lee Jin Ho’s agency, SM C&C, has remained largely silent on the matter, while the comedian canceled a scheduled appearance at a Netflix press conference.
Among those deceived, BTS’s Jimin was approached by Lee Jin Ho in 2022 and lent him 100 million KRW (~73,646 USD), expecting it to be repaid within a week. Though Jimin generously extended the repayment period, Lee Jin Ho failed to fulfill his obligations. Other notable victims include Lee Soo Geun, who lost tens of millions of KRW, and Ha Sung Woon, alongside several broadcasting executives and producers. Lee Jin Ho even exploited his connections with celebrities to borrow more money, leaving his victims facing tax issues and heavy financial burdens. The scandal has sparked outrage, especially as Lee Jin Ho continued to appear in projects despite his mounting debts.
In response to the backlash, Lee Jin Ho issued a statement on social media, admitting to his gambling addiction and expressing remorse for his actions. He claimed to have stopped gambling and vowed to repay his debts, though many major victims have yet to receive any compensation. His apology, viewed by some as an attempt to avoid fraud charges, promised cooperation with the police and accountability for his mistakes.
Korean netizens have expressed shock over the latest celebrity controversy, gathering in popular online communities to discuss and buzz about the issue.
They commented:
“Gambling habits are hard to fix…”
“I feel so bad for Young Tak… he cut ties with him.”
“I feel bad for everyone who fell victim to him.”
“He really can’t do just one thing right, can he? LOL. His expression and personality are both filthy.”
“He was on Knowing Bros together with them… wow…”
“His expression is awful, and the way he talks is so low-level. As expected. I just feel bad for the victims. Scammer—don’t ever show your face again.”
“Those of you blaming the victims here, are you actual sociopaths? Think about it. Or do you just want to trash those celebrities?”
“What about Lee Soo Geun… wow.”
“What the heck. This is insane. But because he makes good money, even after losing 100 million won, he can just tell him to pay it back within 10 years. Wow, even Lee Soo Geun—he’s probably going to have to quit Knowing Bros.”
“Wait, isn’t he on Knowing Bros too? Wow. He’s made so many weird, disgusting comments before, he’ll definitely get kicked off now.”
“How did his close acquaintance not know that he was addicted to gambling?”
“Lee Soo Geun met him every week for filming… I’m amazed he was so patient with him.”
“Wow… He is crazy… Really crazy.”
“The victims must all feel so angry. I feel so bad for everyone who lost so much money, lending it to someone like him.”
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